Self-leveling cargo container spreader



June 29, 1965 A. T. GAGLIONE S-ELF-LEVELING CARGO CONTAINER SPREADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1963 INVENTOR. 40-04450? 64900445 SELF-LEVELING CARGO CONTAINER SPREADER Filed Nov. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. 41/44 50 I xzqz/a/vf United States Patent 3,191,983 SELF-LEVELING CARGO CONTAINER SPREADER Alfonso T. Gaglione, Twinsburg, Ohio, assignor to National Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 321,891

7 8 Claims. 9 ('Cl. 294-81) The present invention relates to lifting devices such as spreaders of rigid frame-like construction for lifting cargo containers. It refers particularly to spreaders of the so-called single-point suspension type, such as characterized by a standard crane having a single cable-suspended hook.

Cargo containers are seldom loaded uniformly so that their center of gravity will coincide with the center of their lading space. When these centers are horizontally separated, a container lifted by a spreader in single point connection with a crane will assume a list or canted position which renders the positioning or handling of the container more diflicult. If the container lading is not tightly arranged, it may shift to exaggerate the condition of the list. As many freight-handling terminals are not equipped with the special multiple lift point cranes for handling such containers, the practice is to transfer containers from carrier to carrier by such equipment as is available, usually by the standard single-point suspension crane. There is a great need of equipment for lifting containers, such as a spreader which may be used with a standard single hook crane, which will maintain a container at an even keel when suspended therefrom in the air. This need will be especially acute during the epoch in transportation history which now seems to be in progress, i.e., the transition from the manual transfer of loose lading from one carrier to another to transportation entailing the movement of substantial quantities of freight within containers. During this period it is anticipated that the supply of special cranes will greatly lag the number of freight terminals handling such containers.

Thus, it is an important object of the invention to provide a spreader for lifting containers of a type which may be used with cranes providing single-point suspension, and to provide mechanism within the spreader for adjusting the spreader and a container coupled therewith to a desired orientation, e.g., to bring about substantial parallelism be tween the undersurface of a container and the surface for receiving the container.

Another object is to provide a spreader in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the spreader is constructed with a rugged design permitting the handling of container loads of the order of twenty tons or more, and an extremely simple mechanical arrangement contributing to great dependability and strength.

Afurther object is to provide a self-leveling spreader for use in handling heavy container loads by standard single lift point cranes and to thereby minimize the need for the more expensive multiple lift point cranes;

'A still further object is to provide a self-leveling spreader which incorporates apparatus responsive to unwanted variations from a desired position or orientation and is capable of automatically correcting such variations.

The invention, in brief, resides in a spreader centrally suspendable at one point and comprising a frame suspended from a central supraposed shackle by a pluralityofflexible. tension members radiating downwardly from the shackle to the frame andextending at initially the frame around the sheaves or otherguides attached to the frame. Such guides'are located at opposite sides of a vertical plane transversely bisecting the frame toward a level adjusting means or device connected with a central portion of the frame. The level adjusting device is movable with respect to the frame. to pull one portion of the tension members at 3,191,983 Patented June 29, 1965 one side of the plane over respective guides toward the plane while feeding or discharging the portion of tension members on the other side of the plane toward respective guides to move lengthwise thereover.

Other features of the spreader include, in a preferred embodiment, secondary guides or sheaves disposed be tween the above-named sheaves and the anchor member for maintaining the cables in registry or tracking alignment with the first-named sheaves; power or manual mechanism for traversing the anchor member lengthwise of its tract; sensing means cooperating with the power actuator for effecting automatic leveling of the spreader; pulley or sheave arrangements which promote compactness of the spreader as a whole; and structural arrangements which simplify the mounting of the sheaves in favor of simplicity of the spreader construction.

In the drawings in respect to which the invention is described:

'FIG. 1 is a plan view of the spreader with the upper shackle portion removed to better illustrate the frame portion and parts associated therewith;

=FIG.,2 is a vertically shortened longitudinal elevation of the spreader shown in FIG. 1 including the shackle;

FIG. 3 is a plan of an anchor member slidably mounted on the frame of the spreader showing also an alternate position in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing primarily the anchor member and the mounting therefor as viewed along line IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a hydraulic mechanism for shifting the cables or other suspension medium relative to the frame in effecting leveling of the frame relative to the overhead shackle; and

FIG. 6 is an electrical diagram illustrating an electrical circuit for actuating the hydraulic mechanism represented by the diagram of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are views of a spreader 4, i.e., a cargo container lifting implement, which depicts as its major portions, a frame 5, a shackle 6, an anchor member 7, a plurality of cables 8a to 8d connecting the anchor memher 7 and the shackle 6, and a cylinder, piston and piston rod assembly 9 afiixed to the frame.

As shown in plan view, the frame is disposed primarily in a horizontal plane and is of rectangular configuration in that plane. The frame further comprises four pairs of channels 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b, and 15a, 15b arranged by pairs along intersecting vertical diagonal planes to form four legs of an interior X-shaped subframe in which each legs extends from a central intersection of the diagonal planes to merge and terminate in a corner portion of the rectangular frame which includes the subframe. The subframe, being X-shaped, is ideally suited for supporting the leveling mechanism of the spreader since this mechanism is necessarily arranged in a generally X-shaped conformation in respect to its horizontal direction. For example, centrally of the frame at the intersection of the legs, the anchor member 7 is slidably supported on a guide 18 for movement along a rectilinear path parallel to the length or longer horizontal dimension of the frame and approximately bisected by the vertical transverse central plane of the frame MM.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, the anchor member 7 has a base 19 and is channeled by a recess 20 of cross sectional contour complementary to the spatulate transverse cross section of the guide 18. The guide comprises an upper rod-like element 21 and a vertical web Q2 joined arrangements for obtaining the desired guided relationship of the anchor member lengthwise of the frame.

The member 7 has upper horizontal and longitudinally extending flanges 23 and 24 which have four apertures that receive pins 26, 27, 28, and 29 by which the anchor member is connected to the clevises 31, 32, 33, and 34 of cables 8a, Sb, Sc, and 8d, respectively.

Each cable is laced along a path extending lengthwise of one leg of the X-subframe. In first order from the anchor member 7, the cable 811, for example, is supported in both of its lateral horizontal directions by a pair of pulleys 36 and 37 having substantially a common horizontal plane of rotation with their grooved peripheries in closely opposed relationship to confine the cable 6a from lateral deviation from its path. The sheaves 36 and 37 have axles of vertical axis secured to the channel members 12a, 12b, respectively, forming one leg of the X- subframe.

The cable 8a is further supported by a sheave 38 disposed between the channel members 12a and 12b spaced for that purpose. Sheave 38 has a horizontal axis disposing the sheave in a usually vertical plane of rotation and its grooved periphery at an elevation for feeding the cable 8a in a horizontal direction, i.e., parallel to the length of, and above, the associated X-frame leg into the nip of the sheaves 36 and 37. Cable guiding means, such as another sheave 39, is supported between the channel members 12a and 12b within a corner section of the complete frame. The sheave 39 also has a horizontal axis of rotation and, because it is supported between the members 12a, 12b, rotates in the same vertical plane as the sheave 38. Because the cable 8:: extends from the sheave 39 radially toward the shackle 6, the cable is in contact with a substantial or major portion of the periphery of the sheave 39. The cables 12!), 12c, 12d are supported in the same manner along the other legs of the X-subframe. The cables may be secured to the shackle by clevises which, as shown, are similar to clevises 26, 27, 28, and 29. It is noteworthy that the corner pulleys 39, 4t), 41 and 42 are relatively large as compared with the pulleys 38, 37, and 36 in order to avoid undue bending stresses on the cable. Use of the pulley 3S enables pulleys 39 to 42 to be disposed within the height of the frame 5 and thus promote compactness of design.

In effecting leveling of the frame 5 and a load suspended thereon, the anchor member is traversed lengthwise of its path as defined by the guide 18 by the cylinder, piston, and piston rod assembly 9 affixed to the frame 5 along its top surface to dispose the longitudinal axis of the assembly along a central longitudinal vertical plane of the frame at an elevation common to that of the flanges 23, 24 of the anchor member 7 to which the cables are attached. Components of the assembly 9 visible in the drawing are a cylinder 46 attached by brackets 47, 48 to the frame and a piston rod 49 in fixed relation with the upper portion of the anchor member.

In FIG. 1 the anchor member 7 is shown at its neutral or intermediate position. By operation of the cylinder assembly 9, the anchor member is readily disposed in positions at the right and left of the neutral position shown. FIG. 3 shows an alternate position in dot-dash outline and illustrates a function of the pulleys 36 and 37 which serve to receive the cable 8a at an alignment which is angled relative to its parallel position and relative to the length of the adjacent X-frame leg. FIG. 3 also illustrates the change of alignment by cables 8b, 8c, 8d with respect to respective frame legs and pulleys analogous to pulleys 36, 37. Obvious from FIG. 3 is that the pulleys 36, 37 maintain the cable 8a in proper tracking alignment with the pulley 38.

In its use in the present invention, the cylinder assembly 9 forcibly moves the anchor member 7 to various positions in its range of movement between extreme positions to the right and left of the neutral position shown. Hence, the cylinder 46 thereof is capable of receiving liquid through either end and discharging it from the other, and vice versa, depending on the location of the center of gravity of the load to be handled by the spreader 4. Ports 51 and 52 are provided for this purpose and are connected to a hydraulic supply and exhaust system such as that illustrated by the diagram of FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ports 51 and 52 are connected to the body of a four-way reversing valve operated by solenoids 58 and 55 arranged to act on the valve in opposite directions. The primary supply of liquid to the cylinder 46 is from a tank 56 and a pump 57 driven by a motor 58. As the diagram illustrates, the oil or other liquid is forced through a check-valve 59 and the line 61 into the reversing valve 53. If the valve is in its neutral position as shown, the oil will return to the reservoir tank 56 through a line 62. If the valve 53 is in either one of its non-neutral positions, liquid will be forced into one end of the cylinder and discharged from the other end of the cylinder through the line 62 into the tank 56. If the piston is forced completely to one end of its travel, a spring operated unloading valve 64 will permit the return of oil to the tank through the lines 65 and 62. The motor 58 and the pump 57 are preferably in constant operation to maintain pressure on the line 61. Liquid is constantly returned through either the dumping valve 64 or the four-way reversing valve 53.

Control by an operator of the hydraulic system is effected entirely by activation of one or the other of the solenoids of the valve 53 by an electrical system having a diagram such as that shown in FIG. 6. As indicated before, the valve 53 returns to the illustrated neutral condition by springs associated with both solenoids. Upon movement of the piston 50 to a new position, the valve returns to neutral position and thus holds the piston in the position attained in its most recent movement.

As indicated in FIG. 6, the apparatus represented by the figure below the line X-X is that which is mounted on the spreader. This includes the motor 53 served by a 3-phase 440 volt 60 cycle current supply through lines 71, 72, and 73. Following these lines through a socket connection at 74 to the area of the figure above the line XX, which designates that part of the equipment carried on the crane, the motor is electrically connected with the 440 volt supply through a master switch 75 (shown open) and fuses as shown. Assuming the switch 75 is closed, the motor 58 is constantly running and its operation and current supply is independent of that shown on the left side of the figure effecting the operation of solenoids 54 and 55. While the hydraulic system, as shown in FIG. 4, is carried in its entirety on the spreader 4, the only portion of the electrical system for controlling it carried on the spreader are the solenoids 54, 55 and tiltsensitive switches 76 and 77, respectively, which, in one instance of the practice of this invention, were mercury contact switches Model AS415A1, manufactured by the Minneapolis-Honeywell Corporation, arranged and mounted to close at 1 degree tilt from level and to open at /2 degree tilt from level. The switch 76, for example, closes with counterclockwise tilt of the frame 5 whereas the switch 77 closes with counterclockwise tilt.

Proceeding now to the part of the control system mounted on the crane and preferably in the crane cab, it is to be noted that light bulbs 78 and 79 are connected in volt 6O cycle circuit in series with the switches 76, 77, respectively.

In operating the spreader 4 in awordance with the circuit shown in FIG. 5, the craneman depends upon visual observation of the tilt of the spreader and the load carried thereby in making a judgment as to whether correction of the tilt is needed. Consequently, the tilt indicating lights 78 and 79 will not become illuminated until one of the control buttons 81, 82, and 83 are pushed. Such an arrangement leaves correction of the tilt to the discretion of the operator and thus avoids use of the tilt correction system until he deems it necessary. For example, if the cranernan observes clockwise tilt of a greater magnitude than the tilt he deems desirable for the condipower lines 94 and 95.

tions under which he is working, he will push button 81 which then disengages from terminals 85 and 86 and engages terminals 87 and 88. This routes the circuit through the button switch 82 normally held against terminals 91 and 92 and completes a circuit between the As a consequence, the bulb 79 and the solenoid 54 in parallel relation therewith are energized to cause the valve 53 to feed liquid through the port 52 into the cylinder 46. Change of tilt is thereupon effected on the spreader by shortening portions of the cables 8c and 8d extending between the shackle 6 and the pulleys 41 and 42 with a corresponding lengthening of the portions of the cable 8a and 8b extending between the shackle 6 and the pulleys 39 and 40. The tilt switch 76, though closed during clockwise tilting, does not enter into the control operation just described.

When counterclockwise tilting correction is needed, the craneman presses button 82 to interrupt the circuit through terminals 91 and 92 and to close the circuit through terminals 96 and 97. Simultaneously, the bulb 78 is illuminated and the solenoid 55 is operated to effect admission of liquid into the cylinders through the port 51. The tilting switch 77, though closed, is nonfunctional during visual correction of counterclockwise tilting.

In the two examples of manual and visual correction just described, the bulbs 78 and 79 are illuminated but are not significant of indicating tilt, but merely that one or the other of the solenoids is energized in accordance with the button 81 or 82 pushed. It should be understood that in the visual procedure just described, the tilt correction effected is determined by the craneman by observation of the spreader and container itself, since the craneman may actuate the cylinder to its full range of piston movement in either direction by pressing one or the other of buttons 81 or 82.

In automatic operation, it is possible to operate the leveling mechanism with a permanently closed circuit across the terminals 98 and 99 ordinarily served by the button switch 83. However, because a well-balanced container will ordinarily be subjected to some tilting in handling the crane, it is desirable to avoid the excessive operation and hunting" of the leveling system that would be sustained in ordinary operations and to carry out a so-called automatic leveling step by the use of button 83. Depression of the button is only effective when one of the switches 76 or 77 are closed. As mentioned above, switch 76 is closed by clockwise tilt and switch 77 is closed by counterclockwise tilt.

Assuming one of these switches is closed, depression of the button 83 will close the circuit and energize the solenoid 54 or 55 in series connection with the tilt sensitive switch 76 or 77 closed. As the bulbs 78 and 79 are in parallel relation with solenoids 54 and 55, respectively, the bulb in parallel with the solenoid energized will light up. The circuit will remain closed and the tilt correction will continue until the neutral tilt condition is obtained and the corresponding tilt-sensitive switch 76 or 77 opens. This opens the valve-actuating circuit and further depression of the button 83 is of no effect. Use of the button switch 83 in automatic operation is very advantageous under poor lighting conditions, such as night operation.

As mentioned before, the line XX separates the equipment below the line carried on the spreader from the equipment above the line carried on the crane. The various lines passing between the crane cab and the spreader may be incorporated in a single cable comprising a coupling connection whereby the connection may be uncoupled when the spreader is unhooked from the crane.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described or portions thereof as fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spreader for lifting cargo containers comprising:

(A) a frame disposed, during operation, primarily in a horizontal plane and having a plurality of horizontally spaced means for connecting it in substantially fixed relation to the top portion of a cargo container;

(B) a plurality of guides mounted in said frame disposed on opposite sides of, and in spaced relation with, a vertical plane extending in central transverse relation with the frame;

(C) a lifting shackle normally suspended over the frame;

(D) flexible, substantially non-elastic tension means secured to the shackle and extending therefrom around each of said guides toward said vertical plane;

(E) level-adjusting means for the frame carried thereby and connected with the tension means, said adjusting means being movable to pull a portion of said tension means over respective guides at one side of said plane toward the plane and to discharge other of said tension means away from said plane over respective guides at the other side of said plane; and

(F) said tension means being of an arrangement and of sufficient length to dispose said shackle during operation in central and upwardly spaced relation with the frame when said level adjusting means is in an intermediate condition of adjustment.

2. A spreader for lifting cargo containers comprising:

(A) a frame disposed, during operation, primarily in a horizontal plane and having a plurality of horizontally spaced means for connecting it in substantially fixed relation with the top portion of a cargo container;

(B) an anchor member supported horizontally centrally of the frame and sharing guide means with the frame restricting movement of the member to a horizontal rectilineal path extending along the frame;

(C) means carried on the frame for adjusting said member lengthwise of said path;

(D) a plurality of guides mounted in said frame having generally horizontal axes of rotation disposed on opposite sides of, and in spaced relation with, a vertical plane in central transverse relation with said frame and said path;

(E) a lifting shackle; and

(F) flexible, substantially non-elastic tension means secured to the shackle and extending therefrom around each of said guides into secured relation with the member, said tension means being of an arrangement and of sufficient length to dispose said shackle during operation in central and upwardly spaced relation with the frame when said member is located at a medial position along said path.

3. A spreader for lifting cargo containers comprising:

(A) a frame disposed, during operation, primarily in a horizontal plane and having a plurality of horizontally spaced means for connecting it in substantially fixed relation with the top portion of a cargo container;

(B) an anchor member supported horizontally centrally of the frame and sharing guide means with the frame which restricts movement of the member to a horizontal rectilinear path extending along the frame;

. (C) power operated means mounted on the frame for adjusting the member lengthwise of said path;

(D) a plurality of sheaves mounted in said frame having generally horizontal axes of rotation disposed on opposite sides of, and in spaced relation with, a plane in generally perpendicular bisecting relation with the path;

(E) a lifting shackle for connecting the spreader to a crane component; and

(F) a plurality of flexible, substantially non-elastic tension members, one for each sheave, secured to the anchor member and extending therefrom partly around one of said sheaves into secured relation with the shackle, said tension members being of sufficient length to dispose said shackle during operation in central upwardly spaced relation with the frame when said member is located at a medial position along said path.

4. The spreader of claim 3 comprising:

guide means attached to the frame in horizontal juxtaposed relation with both sides of each tension member at points intermediate each sheave and the anchor member at its medial position.

5. A spreader for lifting cargo containers, comprising:

(A) a frame disposed during operation, primarily in a horizontal plane and being of generally rectangular shape in said plane with its greater horizontal dimension being its length, said frame having a plurality of horizontally spaced means for connecting it in substantially fixed relation with the top portion of a cargo container;

(B) an anchor member supported horizontally centrally of the frame;

(C) guide means shared by the anchor member and the frame which restricts movement of the member to a rectilinear path extending lengthwise of the frame;

(D) power-operated means carried on the frame for adjusting said member lengthwise of said path;

(E) two pairs of peripherally-grooved supporting sheaves mounted on said frame, having generally horizontal axes of rotation, and being disposed adjacent to corner portions of the frame;

each pair of sheaves having a plane of rotation approximately within a vertical diagonal plane of the frame intersecting the diagonal plane of the other pair at approximately a center point of the frame;

(F) said anchor member, guide means, and poweroperated means each located symmetrically with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane;

(G) a shackle for connecting the spreader to a crane component disposed during operation centrally above the frame; and

(H) four cables, each cable being connected with the shackle and extending therefrom over one of said sheaves to the anchor member in fastened relation therewith.

6. The spreader of claim 5, comprising:

(A) an X-shaped subframe disposed within said rec- 8 tangular shape and having its four legs extending lengthwise along said diagonal planes, each leg supporting one of said sheaves.

7. The spreader of claim 5, comprising:

a pair of peripherally grooved guide sheaves for each of said sheaves, the sheaves of each pair being mounted rotatably on the frame for rotation about vertical axes in the same general plane, with their peripheries juxtaposed along a cable path extending between the adjacent one of said first-named sheaves and the anchor member, to cooperatively confine the cable extending along said path within peripheral grooves of said pair of sheaves.

8. The spreader of claim 5, comprising:

(A) an X-shaped subframe disposed within said rectangular shape and having its four le s extending lengthwise along said diagonal planes, each leg comprising a pair of frame members spaced horizontally to receive one of said sheaves therebetween;

(B) said anchor member and said power-operated means mounted at a level generally above the X- shaped frame;

(C) a pair of peripherally grooved guide sheaves of vertical axes of rotation mounted on each leg, each sheave mounted over separate frame members of a respective leg to dispose the grooved peripheries in such horizontal proximity as to define a portion of a cable path therebetween and to dispose the plane of rotation of said peripheries on a level with said anchor member; and

(D) a third peripherally grooved sheave of horizontal axis of rotation for each disposed between said members of the leg and between the supporting sheave and said pair of guide sheaves of the same leg, the upper portion of the periphery of the third sheave being generally on a level with said pair of guide sheaves and the anchor member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,148,909 9/64 Tantlinger 294-81 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,113,322 12/55 France.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SPREADER FOR LIFTING CARGO CONTAINERS COMPRISING: (A) A FRAME DISPOSED, DURING OPERATION, PRIMARILY IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED MEANS FOR CONNECTING IT IN SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED RELATION TO THE TOP PORTION OF A CARGO CONTAINER; (B) A PLURALITY OF GIDES MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF, SAND IN SPACED TRANSVERSE WITH, A VERTICAL PLANE EXTENDING IN CENTRAL TRANSVERSE RELATION WITH THE FRAME; (C) A LIFTING SHACKLE NORMALLY SUSPENDED OVER THE FRAME; (D) FLEXIBLE, SUBSTANTIALLY NON-ELASTIC TENSION MEANS SECURED TO THE SHACKLE AND EXTENDING THEREFROM AROUND EACH OF SAID GUIDES TOWARD SAID VERTICAL PLANE; (E) LEVEL-ADJUSTING MEANS FOR THE FRAME CARRIED THEREBY AND CONNECTED WITH THE TENSION MEANS, SAID ADJUSTING MEANS BEING MOVABLE TO PULL A PORTION OF SAID TENSION MEANS OVER RESPECTIVE GUIDES AT ONE SIDE OF SAID PLANE TOWARD THE PLANE AND TO DISCHARGE OTHER OF SAID TENSION MEANS AWAY FROM SAID PLANE OVER RESPECTIVE GUIDES AT THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PLANE; AND (F) SAID TENSION MEANS BEING OF AN ARRANGEMENT AND OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO DISPOSE SAID SHACKLE DURING OPERATION IN CENTRAL AND UPWARDLY SPACED RELATION WITH THE FRAME WHEN SAID LEVEL ADJUSTING MEANS IS IN AN INTERMEDIATE CONDITION OF ADJUSTMENT. 